Each year the Cape Coral Fire Department honors a firefighter and an EMS paramedic. Similarly, American Legion Post 90, Cape Coral honors those chosen. So recently the two organizations held a brief ceremony to present their American Legion awards.

The annual Firefighter of the Year and Paramedic of the Year process began last January, and the department recently announced the winners.

Fire Lieutenant Laurel Cornelius won firefighter of the year. She has been with the Cape Coral Fire Department for 16 years and was promoted to Fire Lieutenant one year ago. Lieutenant Cornelius stated she “was excited and surprised to receive the award because I feel I only do my job and strive to help everyone, especially in training.” She also stated she “was particularly pleased about the recognition from my fellow firefighters.”

Paramedic Henis Bitri, who recently transferred from the city of Cape Coral to the Cape Coral Fire Department to serve as a paramedic stated: “I was surprised about the award and felt I hadn’t done anything extraordinary and just performed at my best during every shift.”

Deputy Chief Michael Russell praised both Lieutenant Cornelius and Paramedic Bitri, who, he said, “were deserving of the awards as they didn’t just do their jobs but helped to move people forward by the commitment and the extra effort they made to meet all challenges.”

The American Legion Post 90 Commander, Keith Berres, stated, “I was pleased that Post 90 could participate in recognition of these two first responders.”

Source: American Legion Post 90